Mecha
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Mecha (also known as Mechs and Walkers) are vehicles that move by walking on mechanical legs common in science fiction. Mecha differ from another concept known as Power Armor in that suits of power armor are worn, while Mecha are piloted in some manner in a cab/cockpit, as well mecha can have more than two legs.
Examples of Mecha
- The Fighting and Handleing machines in HG Well's The War of the Worlds
- The Mobile Suits from the Gundam Franchise
- Numerous Vehicles in the Star Wars universe ( AT-TE AT-AT AT-ST and SPHA)
Technical problems
Mecha are commonly depicted as being comprable or superior to more conventional Armored Fighting Vehicles in Science fiction, however, this is an unrealistic prediction of the future as mecha have numerous inherent problems. Among them are...
- High Profile, this makes them a bigger target and makes them harder to hide than conventional Treaded and Wheeled AFVs.
- Complexity, as Mecha require numerous systems that Tanks don't (numerous moters for legs, stabilization system), Mecha would be by nature more expensive to produce and maintain
- Armor Mecha would have various chinks in their armor that tanks would not have due to their apendages and would have to be more lightly armored than tanks due to the nature of their locomotion
- Technologies that could conceivably negate these disadvantages could just as easily be applied to conventional AFVs, while still being cheaper to produce.